Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog
Automobile accidents happen for a variety of reasons, not the least of which are defective parts or poorly designed vehicle components. As Maryland auto accident lawyers, the legal professionals at Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers represent numerous clients who have been hurt as a result of negligence on the part of another person or corporation. Recently a news article brought up the subject of defective equipment and possible death or injury that can result to car, truck and SUV drivers and their passengers.
According to news reports, car maker, Toyota, has recalled nearly four million vehicles across the United States in what the media says is “Toyota’s largest-ever U.S. recall campaign. The problem is apparently with the removable driver-side floor mat, which could possibly cause the vehicle’s gas pedal to become stuck, resulting in a possible high-speed runaway situation leading potentially to a crash.
The recall involves popular Toyota models such as the Camry — the top-selling passenger car in America — and the company’s hybrid Prius models. News reports state that Toyota is working with officials from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to find a fix for the problem.
This type of defect, while seemingly simple in nature, is indicative of the equipment problems that can cause a motorist to lose control of a vehicle and perhaps become injured or even be killed. Because this problem could cause a high-speed situation, other drivers, pedestrians and occupants of other vehicles could be endangered.
The NHTSA said it had received reports of 102 incidents in which the accelerator may have become stuck on the Toyota vehicles involved. It was unclear how many led to crashes but the inquiry was prompted by a high-speed crash back in August in California. At that time, a Lexus careened out of control, hitting speeds in excess of 120mph. The family inside the vehicle made a frantic call to 911 to say that the accelerator was stuck and they couldn’t stop the vehicle.
Anyone hurt as a result of such an incident should contact a qualified personal injury lawyer experienced in handling automotive accident cases. No matter how innocuous the problem, almost any vehicle defect can become a safety concern. Don’t take your wellbeing or that of your family for granted.
Toyota, Lexus Mat Recall: 3.8 Million Vehicles Recalled Over Floor Mats, HuffingtonPost.com, September 29, 2009